An ordinance pertaining to the Maya Angelou Birthplace, located at 3130 Hickory Street (the

Transcription

1 BOARD BILL NO. 76 INTRODUCED BY ALDERWOMAN MARLENE DAVIS, ALDERMAN TERRY KENNEDY ALDERMAN MARLENE DAVIS, ALDERMAN TERRY KENEDY, ALDERMAN FREEMAN BOSLEY, SR., ALDERMAN ANTONIO D. FRENCH, ALDERMAN JOE VACCARO, ALDERMAN SHANE COHN, ALDERMAN CHRIS CARTER, ALDERMAN JOHN J. COATAR, ALDERMAN CARA SPENCER, ALDERMAN MEGAN E. GREEN, ALDERMAN SAMUEL MOORE An ordinance pertaining to the Maya Angelou Birthplace, located at 3130 Hickory Street (the Property), having as subject matter the designation of the Property as a City of St. Louis Landmark, containing definitions, Landmark Standards and a severability clause. The Board of Aldermen hereby declares as follows: WHEREAS the Property is important in the City of St. Louis because it is the house in the Compton Hill African American neighborhood that was the location of the birth of Marguerite Johnson, later known as Maya Angelou; and WHEREAS the Property is the building in the City most closely associated with Ms. Angelou s years of residence in St. Louis; and WHEREAS this modest house in a once-segregated St. Louis neighborhood helps to convey the journey Ms. Angelou made to become a renowned author, poet, performer, and outspoken civil rights activist; and WHEREAS although Ms. Angelou s life was spent in many places in the United States and abroad, the Property comprises an important part of the history of one of the most prominent and respected women of her generation; and WHEREAS the City of St. Louis Preservation Board was created to recognize and protect the design and physical integrity of sites and districts within the City limits; and Page 1 of 10

2 WHEREAS the Planning Commission and the Board of Public Service have reviewed the proposed landmark designation and standards and have found that they 1) are in conformity with the City s Strategic Land Use Plan and 2) will have a positive impact on the physical development of the City, and the Preservation Board has approved the landmark petition and recommended that a designation bill be prepared; NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS AS FOLLOWS: SECTION ONE. Definitions: ACQUIRED SIGNIFICANCE The importance achieved by an element that is not original to a property, but has sufficient historical or architectural meaning to become valued as highly as the original portion. ARCHITECTURAL PROMINENCE This quality is found in visual and functional visual dominance and significance of the historic component of a building expanded with an addition. BRICKMOLD A finished exterior wood trim that edges the masonry opening of a window at the junction of the window frame and the masonry. Wrapping of a brickmold refers to the covering of this feature with another material that conceals its material, dimensions and profile. CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES Those elements of a property that strongly convey its architectural style and/or history. Page 2 of 10

3 CITY LANDMARK Any site or sites designated for protection from alteration or demolition by the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen. A City Landmark cannot be altered in design or construction, and demolition of the property cannot occur without the permission of the City of St. Louis Preservation Board or its successor agencies. CORNICE A decorative portion of a building located where the building wall meets the Roof, often a projecting element. ENTRANCE A feature that is a point of entry to a building, often consisting of one or more doors; sidelights or transom windows; surrounding architectural elements; and a canopy or porch that shelters the door(s). GLAZING Panes or sheets of glass set or made to be set in frames, as in windows, doors or mirrors. HISTORIC CHARACTER Those features of a building that strongly convey its architectural form and style through materials and features. MASONRY A family of building materials and techniques that use stone, brick, ceramic, or concrete block units, usually separated by mortar beds and joints. MASSING Page 3 of 10

4 A term used to describe the visual displacement of space based on the building's height, width and depth: the three-dimensional impact of a structure. PARGING The concealment of a masonry portion of a building with applied plaster or mortar. RECONSTRUCTION The rebuilding of a feature that has deteriorated or been removed from a building. RESTORATION The reconstruction of a feature to have a specific historic character based on a design from the original plans for the buildings or from an extant example on a building of similar type, style, and materials. REMODELING Changes made to the exterior of a building that create a change in character due to new features, new materials, or other obvious alterations. SCALE Term used to describe the perceived size of a building relative to the height and width of adjacent structures. Also the perceived size of an element of a building relative to known architectural elements; for example, the size of a door relative to a window. SECONDARY Perceived as less important. WINDOW Page 4 of 10

5 An element that consist of a frame, and glazed sash or sashes to admit light and air, and that form a portion of the exterior enclosure of a building. SECTION TWO. LANDMARK STANDARDS These standards are the National Park Service s Secretary of Interior s Standards for the Rehabilitation Treatment of Historic Properties supplemented with guidance that reflects the special conditions found at the Property. Character-defining features and aspects of the property addressed by these standards are those that strongly convey its architectural style and history. When these components of an historic property are altered on the exterior, the building or structure can no longer convey its association with the past. Character-defining features vary from property to property, but generally include original building materials, decorative architectural elements, and features such as doors and windows. Character-defining features are likely to be located on façades and other portions of the property visible from the street. Standard #1. The property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment. Standard #2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided. The Property has the historic character of a small free-standing single-family dwelling in the Compton Hill neighborhood. No changes shall be made to the exterior of the house that will Page 5 of 10

6 alter its historic character or original design, or that are in the category of remodeling. The Property has had some exterior alterations and reconstruction since Ms. Angelou s family resided in it, specifically the door and porch at the house s main entrance entry in the east wall, a side entrance of a type common in St. Louis, and windows have been replaced with vinyl replacement sash. All character-defining aspects of the exterior of the house shall be maintained in place and not be altered through removal, paint, covering with other materials, or other physical changes. The general extent and type of landscaping shall be that of a residential property. When the current fence enclosing the rear yard is replaced, it shall be a metal picket fence or a solid privacy fence. The fence shall remain behind the rear wall of the brick house. The one-car garage on the property is not considered to be a historic resource and may be altered or demolished. Any sign identifying the site as the Maya Angelou birthplace shall be affixed to the residence and be of a minimum size to convey the name of the property and date of her birth. Any sign announcing a museum-type use for the property shall be a single monument sign. It shall not be taller than the upper edge of the basement windows. The following types of signs shall not be approved for this property: Roof-top signs, billboards, flashing or animated signs, signs with changing text, backlighted signs, large projecting signs that block windows, and loudspeaker music for advertising purposes. Page 6 of 10

7 Alterations to the exterior of the property that provide accessibility are not discouraged yet such changes shall be accomplished without compromising the historic integrity of the dwelling. Both goals of retaining historic integrity and accessibility for people with disabilities can be met through the use of sophisticated design solutions. Standard #3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken. Standard #4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved. No alterations that have historic significance have been identified for this property. As noted above, no changes shall be made to alter the architectural presence of the dwelling. Standard #5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved. The exterior brick walls shall remain unpainted, except for the west wall that has already been painted. When repairs to the masonry foundation are required, it shall be repaired and exposed, or if the parging remains, it shall be painted a limestone color. Standard #6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence. Page 7 of 10

8 This standard applies to the exterior of the property. The windows and doors of the house have been replaced and do not represent historic configurations or materials. When the windows are replaced, they shall have the appropriate historic configuration and the wrapping of the brickmold and sills shall be removed to expose the historic material, and include its replacement in kind if necessary. Physical evidence on the building and the similarities of such elements in St. Louis provides evidence for the restoration of the porch and entrance. Any changes made to the main entrance entry or windows shall be based on this evidence and re-establish its historic character rather than provide a new design. The main entrance has been shortened in height with a transom above the door being blocked with brick; the arched head that remains documents the original configuration. When the door is replaced, it shall be a hung wood door with a half or three-quarter light. When the sheathing on the cornice is removed, the existing cornice shall be repaired and retained, or replaced with a cornice of identical size and approximate design. Should a replacement entry porch be reconstructed, the design and dimensions of the porch shall be based on the evidence present at the house and in the design of similar historic side porches. Features and materials that must be replaced periodically, such as roofing, shall be the same as the historic or existing, or an appropriate replacement. Page 8 of 10

9 Standard #7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. The masonry materials of the exterior shall not be sandblasted or cleaned with harsh chemicals. Any cleaning project shall be approved by the Cultural Resources Office. Standard #8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken. The property owners shall consult with the Cultural Resources Office before undertaking a project that would include below-grade disturbance that could affect archaeological resources. Standard #9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. Standard #10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. The construction of any addition to this residence shall be positioned to the rear of the house and be secondary to it in terms of size, scale, height, and architectural prominence. An addition shall not cause the loss of the rear brick wall of the house, but may include the Page 9 of 10

10 removal of the modern enclosed rear porch. All plans for any additions or new construction on the property shall be reviewed by the Cultural Resources Office. SECTION THREE. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE If any provision, sentence, clause, section, part, or application of the ordinance and the regulations and standards contained herein is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, illegal, or invalid, such unconstitutionality, illegality, or invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections, parts, or applications of this ordinance, regulations and standards. Page 10 of 10